A Better Tomorrow
by Hug Yourself
Summary: Shinji is alive... but not really.


**A/N: This is the best story ever written. Also, I'm a liar.**

* * *

Shinji Ikari was someone who's wishbone was where their backbone was supposed to be. So far, that hasn't done him much good. Today would be different though. Today he'd take charge. He'd rise above his problems. He'd show Asuka that it's okay to ask for help. He'd show Misato how to face her problems head on instead of drinking them away.

But first he'd make breakfast.

Asuka was the first to wake up. She walked in and wordlessly sat at the table.

"Good morning, Asuka." Shinji greeted, forcing a smile.

"What's so good about it?" Asuka replied. Shinji turned back to the food and let his fake smile turn into a real frown. He knew Asuka had her own problems but that didn't excuse her bitchiness. But who was he to judge her? He figured it was probably better than being as pathetic and subdued as he was. At least she can stand up for herself.

Misato walked in next holding her head and let out a nice groan. She fixed herself some coffee and sat at the table. Shinji gave his best fake smile and in return she gave him a fake smile of her own. After all, you don't have much to smile about when your head was pounding like Misato's was. Shinji finished cooking and served them a magnificent meal of food. They all ate in complete silence.

**-XXXXX-**

On the way to school Shinji figured he could try and connect with Asuka. There was nothing stopping him. He could tell her that he knew she wasn't as indestructible as she tried to come off as and that if she ever needed him he would be there for her. He could tell that her that he cared. He could do it.

So all he had to do was open his mouth...

And say it.

Do it, Shinji!

"H-hey, Asuka."

"What is it?"

"..."

Say something!

Tell her!

Come on!

You can't be _this _pathetic can you?

All you have to do is talk!

"It's nothing." Whatever. There was no way you could have done anything for her anyways, right Shinji?

Of course, he had no way of knowing that just him saying those words would have meant the world to her.

**-XXXXX-**

School was uneventful as always. He hung out with Touji and Kensuke as usual. They would talk more to each other more than him and Shinji would wonder why they hung out with him in the first place. He knew he wasn't any fun. It was weird that he could be surrounded by people but feel all alone.

But that was past him now. Now he was home. _Home. _Whatever that meant. He was on the couch watching the news. The fucking_ news. _Misato had the remote. She was drunk too. She was drunkenly watching the news. Shinji supposed there was worse choices she could make when she was drunk so he didn't say anything.

And so Shinji sat and he listened to some news anchor talk about some family that was killed in some accident. He couldn't find it in him to care and for that, he hated himself just a little bit more. Shinji stole a glance at Misato and noticed the strap of her tank-top had fallen down her shoulder. He could almost see her nipple. She moved a little and he could see a little more.

"Snrk."

_'Huh?' _Shinji's eyes snapped up to hers. She saw him staring at her breasts. Her smug grin told him so. An incredible blush spread across Shinji's face.

He didn't mean it!

It's just... it's just... _breasts._

"Oh, Shinji-kun~" Oh great, here comes the teasing.

"I didn't know you were interested in me like that." She slowly leaned in and he could see more and more of her cleavage.

"Do you want to touch them?"

"Huh?" He saw the playful smirk on her face and he knew she was fucking with him.

She was fucking with him!

He'd show her!

_**Grope!**_

Suddenly the playful smirk on Misato's face disappeared and it was replaced with surprise. The surprise was replaced was a blank, unreadable expression. Shinji's eyes met hers and he tore his hands from her breasts at the speed of light.

_'Ohshitohshitohshit'_

Her blank stare penetrated his very soul.

"I'm sorry!" he yelled. It seemed to have no effect, until...

"Pffft."

"Eh?"

"Hahahahaha!"

Shinji had never been so relieved that someone was laughing at him. But what was up with that blank stare? She had almost seemed... disappointed? Perhaps she thought he was like one of those guys that only liked her for her body!

That's not fair!

_'I'm just a kid!' _he thought.

Shinji had to prove her wrong. He wouldn't let her think of him that way. She was his friend! She could improve his mood just by giving him a smile! She meant a lot to him! She gave him a place to stay and took care of him! Well, she gave him a place to stay.

He noticed she had started drinking faster since he had groped her. Was she really that offended?

He had to do something!

"Misato!"

"Hmm?" she replied, not turning to look him in the eyes.

_'Damn!'_

Don't let it get to you Shinji!

Tell her you care!

She won't be mad anymore!

"..."

Talk!

"Did you want to touch my breasts again?" she asked. Her playful smirk had returned. Shinji couldn't help but notice it didn't have as much life to it as it did before.

"It's not that! It's just..."

"It's just?"

"...It's nothing." Misato looked at him for a moment with an eyebrow raised but said nothing. She stood up and left the room without a word. Shinji sighed. Maybe she wasn't that mad at him. Maybe what he did made her think of something else that made her angry? Shinji sighed again. Things would be probably okay tomorrow.

Shinji didn't know that what he wanted to say was exactly what Misato wanted to hear. He didn't know how happy that would have made her. Had he known, he might have said it.

**-XXXXX-**

Not long after Misato went to her room Asuka walked in. She sat down next to Shinji.

"The news?" she asked.

"Misato was watching it." he replied.

"Where's the remote?"

"Check in the couch." After a moment of searching she found the remote and turned on some drama. The main character had just confessed his love to the heroine. She burst out in tears of joy and they started holding each other lovingly.

Shinji couldn't help but notice that Asuka had seemed jealous at this. He also couldn't help but notice how close she was to him. Did this mean something? Did she want him to do something?

She started biting her lip. He noticed how pink and beautiful her lips were. Shit. She was so beautiful and she was so close to him.

Could she really want him to make a move on her?

No way.

Right?

Maybe he could try to casually wrap his arm around her. You know, pretend to stretch and somehow his arm would just happen to end up around her shoulders? He had heard of that. Would she get angry?

She leaned a little closer into him and some of her scent made it's way to his nose. Damn! She even _smelled_ beautiful. He looked at her lips again. Maybe she could kiss him and maybe this time he could do it without having to worry about suffocating.

Yeah right.

She probably forgot he was even there.

But still... she was too close. Shinji didn't notice that he was blatantly staring at her until he looked into her eyes... and saw she was looking at him as well. Caught staring twice on the same day. Was he a pervert or something?

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked. He noticed that her voice was unusually soft and her face wasn't in it's usual mask of irritation. She was... she was... Damn it! She was making it really hard to control himself. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to hold her.

And she...

"S-sorry. I'm going to bed." As he got up to leave he couldn't help but notice the scowl that had made it's way onto her face.

When he went to sleep that night he couldn't help but think he had missed out on something.

He had no idea. If he did he probably wouldn't have been able to go to sleep so quickly.

**-XXXXX-**

Shinji Ikari was someone who's wishbone was where their backbone was supposed to be. So far, that hasn't done him much good. Today would be different though. Today he'd take charge. He'd rise above his problems. He'd show Asuka that it's okay to ask for help. He'd show Misato how to face her problems head on instead of drinking them away.

But first he'd make breakfast...

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**The end. **

**This just goes to show you, sometimes you have to put yourself out there and take a risk!  
Initially I wanted to write a lovey dovey romance story but this came out instead. Kinda weird, eh?**

**Review!**


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